Selected Podcast
Weight Loss Surgery: Is It an Option for You?
If you're considering weight loss surgery, you probably have a lot of questions. Dr. Kevin Huguet, medical director for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center at St. Anthony's Hospital and Gretchen Miller, bariatric program manager at St. Anthony's Hospital discuss how to know if weight loss surgery is right for you, common myths about surgery, recovery expectations and more.
Featured Speaker:
Dr. Huguet earned his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 2001, where he graduated at the top of his class and received the prestigious membership to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. His internship and residency in general surgery were completed at the Mayo Clinic in 2006. In addition, Dr. Huguet completed a post-graduate fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at the Mayo Clinic in 2007 where he was granted the title of Assistant Professor of Surgery for his research efforts.
Dr. Huguet is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to all of his patients through minimally invasive techniques. He was voted by his peers as a Top Doctors List member for Tampa Magazine in 2019 and 2020 and awarded membership to Florida’s Top Docs in 2020. He has been awarded the Compassionate Doctor Award 2014-2018 and the Patient’s Choice Award in 2019 for his compassionate care.
Dr. Huguet has served as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery or General Surgery for over a decade at St. Anthony’s Hospital, which also happens to be the hospital in which he was born. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of multiple medical societies including the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
Outside of his clinical interests, Dr. Huguet enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, who was his high-school sweetheart.
Learn more about Dr. Kevin Huguet
Gretchen Miller is the bariatric program manager at St. Anthony’s. She provides pre-and post-op surgery education and coordinates and participates in a range of administrative and clinical tasks related to the bariatric surgery program. Gretchen supports each patient in their journey to provide the best experience possible to help achieve their weight loss goals.
Kevin Huguet, MD, MPH, FACS | Gretchen Miller, MSHS, BSN, RN
Dr. Huguet is an award-winning surgeon, practicing at the Minimally Invasive Institute of Surgery in St. Petersburg, FL. He was born and raised in St. Pete, and feels honored to be a leader in the medical community of his lifelong home.Dr. Huguet earned his medical degree from the University of South Florida College of Medicine in 2001, where he graduated at the top of his class and received the prestigious membership to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. His internship and residency in general surgery were completed at the Mayo Clinic in 2006. In addition, Dr. Huguet completed a post-graduate fellowship in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at the Mayo Clinic in 2007 where he was granted the title of Assistant Professor of Surgery for his research efforts.
Dr. Huguet is committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to all of his patients through minimally invasive techniques. He was voted by his peers as a Top Doctors List member for Tampa Magazine in 2019 and 2020 and awarded membership to Florida’s Top Docs in 2020. He has been awarded the Compassionate Doctor Award 2014-2018 and the Patient’s Choice Award in 2019 for his compassionate care.
Dr. Huguet has served as the Chairman of the Department of Surgery or General Surgery for over a decade at St. Anthony’s Hospital, which also happens to be the hospital in which he was born. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a member of multiple medical societies including the Society of Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.
Outside of his clinical interests, Dr. Huguet enjoys spending time with his children and his wife, who was his high-school sweetheart.
Learn more about Dr. Kevin Huguet
Gretchen Miller is the bariatric program manager at St. Anthony’s. She provides pre-and post-op surgery education and coordinates and participates in a range of administrative and clinical tasks related to the bariatric surgery program. Gretchen supports each patient in their journey to provide the best experience possible to help achieve their weight loss goals.
Transcription:
Deborah Howell (Host): Welcome to BayCare HealthChat. I'm Deborah Howell, and if you're considering weight loss surgery, you probably have a lot of questions. Today, we’ll help you know, if you're ready to take this step, dispel some common myths about bariatric surgery, fill you in on what recovery looks like and so much more. I'm joined by Dr. Kevin Huguet, medical director for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center at St. Anthony's Hospital and Gretchen Miller, bariatric program manager at St. Anthony's Hospital. Welcome Gretchen.
Gretchen Miller: Hi welcome.
Deborah Howell (Host): And welcome to you, Dr. Huguet.
Dr. Kevin Huguet: Hi. Thank you.
Deborah Howell (Host): Great to have you both here. Dr. Huguet, let's start with the basic question. What is bariatric surgery?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: Bariatric surgery is another word for weight loss surgery, it means a surgery that we do to help reduce the patient's weight. All bariatric surgeries generally involve some kind of an operation on the organ of the stomach.
Deborah Howell (Host): Okay. And what conditions does bariatric surgery treat?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: So, the primary condition that bariatric surgery treats is obesity. It's an interesting question because, and more recently data has come out, that's information from papers that we published that, not only is bariatric surgery good for treating obesity, but it also does a very good job of treating other conditions. And that would be things like diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea. And some of the more recent recommendations are that if you're not doing well controlling your diabetes with medications, then have a bariatric surgery as a treatment plan for your diabetes.
Deborah Howell (Host): That is absolutely fascinating. How does a patient qualify for bariatric surgery?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: These days, a lot of the qualifications are based on your particular insurance requirements. So everybody's a little bit different, but in general, the requirements are based on your body mass index. That's a number known as your BMI. And so if a patient typically has had a BMI or body mass index over 40, then we typically say, okay, you should think about weight loss surgery. And if they've failed other programs, which is 95% of the time what patients experience, or if their BMI is say over 30 or 35 with something like diabetes or other illnesses, then we also have a discussion about weight loss surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): Let's dispel some common myths about bariatric surgery. Can you help us out with that?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: Absolutely. So there are a lot of myths out there about weight loss surgery, and those stem from, maybe the olden days say a few decades ago when it was a lot more dangerous because of the population that's having the operation. And I think a lack of experience with doing the operation may have created a bit of fear or myths about the danger of it. And over the past 10 to 20 years, our techniques have really evolved and it's really becoming extremely safe operation. Particularly the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is one of the safest operations I do. And it's one of the safest operations out there for weight loss surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): That actually was my next. How safe is bariatric surgery? And what do you tell patients when they ask that question?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: I think a lot of patients first come in and they're saying, geez, what's my risk of dying? And I say the risk is so low, at least with the sleeve gastrectomy, for example, that it's not even a number we can put on it. It's like, 0.0001%. And so it's such a low number that, that's not even something that generally comes into our discussion. And some of the other factors that they worry about are things like long term complications. And each operation has its own risk profile, but something like the most straightforward and the safest operation, the sleeve gastrectomy, I don't generally see long term complications related to that.
Deborah Howell (Host): And what is the typical weight loss expected after surgery?
Dr Kevin Huguet: The amount of weight that you lose after surgery depends on the weight loss operation that you have for the most part. The sleeve gastrectomy has approximately anywhere, depending on the studies you look at, anywhere between 50 and 60% of your excess weight lost. And then as you go into the more, malabsorptive or more complicated operations, the weight loss that you would expect goes up slightly as well, by five to 10%.
Deborah Howell (Host): That's a pretty significant number. And for the patient what's recovery like after surgery?
Dr Kevin Huguet: The surgery say, for example, the sleeve gastrectomy, which I would say is the safest and most common operation that we do. The surgery takes approximately 30 minutes. Patients can go home sometimes the same day or stay overnight in the hospital. Typically one particular incision will hurt for a few days up to a week. Most patients go back to work about a week out from surgery.
Driving wise, it's usually within about a week or so when they're off of pain medicine and they can safely make quick movements, then they're allowed to drive. They will be on a special, dietary plan, which they get educated about. And we have manuals that we give patients. And that goes on for about a six-week period after surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): All right. Gretchen, you've been so patient, now to you. How do I know if I'm ready for bariatric surgery?
Gretchen Miller: So weight loss surgery can change a person's life, but it requires motivation and commitment. So if you're motivated and committed to make a change, then you're ready for weight loss surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): Fair enough. Can you tell us a little bit about pre-surgery expectations?
Gretchen Miller: So you're going meet several people during your journey. As a program manager, I help support and guide you during your journey. You also meet our dietitian. Our dietitian will evaluate your individual needs and help set goals for a healthy lifestyle change. You'll be educated on our pre- and post-op diet. After surgery, daily vitamins will be required and our dietitian will be educate you on the different types of vitamins which are best after bariatric surgery. So diet plays an important role in weight loss surgery, but also physical activity.
And you'll also meet with our exercise consultant who plays a very important role. Based on your ability, he'll personalize a fitness program for you that will be specifically designed for you. It's also important to have a psychological evaluation prior to surgery. We all want you to be successful and a psychologist will discuss with you your motivation, your commitment, any behavior issues, or stresses in your life that may not allow you to adhere to that post-surgery lifestyle change.
Deborah Howell (Host): So you're really building a team around this person?
Gretchen Miller: Yes, we have a very dedicated and experienced team that will help you succeed during your weight loss journey.
Deborah Howell (Host): And what kind of post-surgery support does BayCare offer?
Gretchen Miller: So we provide a lot of support after surgery. Research has shown that people who attend support groups after surgery are more successful. So we have monthly support groups which include different topics and speakers. We also have a private Facebook group, then we also provide walking groups. You'll be able to meet other people in those groups who have gone through that surgery and help support you as well.
Deborah Howell (Host): There's such a difference when you know you're not going through something alone, isn’t it?
Gretchen Miller: Yes.
Deborah Howell (Host): Dr. Huguet, do you have anybody in mind who might be a particular success story you can share with us?
Dr Kevin Huguet: Yes, absolutely. One of the best parts of doing this operation is just how gratifying it is in my office when I see patients after surgery. The patients just come in so energized and they're glowing and it's, very, very, very gratifying, it really brightens my day when I see them. There's so many compelling stories of patients that this completely transformed their lives after they have immense weight loss from weight loss surgery. We have one particular patient who has kids and, due to her severe obesity, she was not very ambulatory. And she did this not for herself, but for her kids because she could not simply take them to parks or go to places like Disney World and things like that.
And, believe it or not, a lot of our patients do operations for weight loss surgery for other people so that they can grow up and see their grandchildren and play with their grandchildren or play with their kids or be more active with their kids. And this particular patient, she lost about 110 pounds. And as part of her celebration she took her kids to Disney, was able to go on all the roller coasters and take them around the park that she'd always dreamed to do. So, yeah, there's a lot of compelling stories like that about people that lose a lot of weight.
Deborah Howell (Host): What a game changer for her and her family.
Dr Kevin Huguet: Absolutely.
Deborah Howell (Host): Well, Gretchen and Dr. Huguet, it's been a true pleasure to have you both on with us today. Thanks so much for making the time.
Gretchen Miller: Thank you.
Dr Kevin Huguet: Yes. Thank you. It was wonderful chatting with you. Thanks for having us on.
Deborah Howell (Host): And that wraps up this episode of BayCare HealthChat, head on over to our website at BayCare.org for more information, and to get connected with one of our providers. Always remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast and all the other BayCare podcasts. So we can share the wealth of information from our experts together. This is Deborah Howell, have yourself a terrific day.
Deborah Howell (Host): Welcome to BayCare HealthChat. I'm Deborah Howell, and if you're considering weight loss surgery, you probably have a lot of questions. Today, we’ll help you know, if you're ready to take this step, dispel some common myths about bariatric surgery, fill you in on what recovery looks like and so much more. I'm joined by Dr. Kevin Huguet, medical director for the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Center at St. Anthony's Hospital and Gretchen Miller, bariatric program manager at St. Anthony's Hospital. Welcome Gretchen.
Gretchen Miller: Hi welcome.
Deborah Howell (Host): And welcome to you, Dr. Huguet.
Dr. Kevin Huguet: Hi. Thank you.
Deborah Howell (Host): Great to have you both here. Dr. Huguet, let's start with the basic question. What is bariatric surgery?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: Bariatric surgery is another word for weight loss surgery, it means a surgery that we do to help reduce the patient's weight. All bariatric surgeries generally involve some kind of an operation on the organ of the stomach.
Deborah Howell (Host): Okay. And what conditions does bariatric surgery treat?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: So, the primary condition that bariatric surgery treats is obesity. It's an interesting question because, and more recently data has come out, that's information from papers that we published that, not only is bariatric surgery good for treating obesity, but it also does a very good job of treating other conditions. And that would be things like diabetes, hypertension and sleep apnea. And some of the more recent recommendations are that if you're not doing well controlling your diabetes with medications, then have a bariatric surgery as a treatment plan for your diabetes.
Deborah Howell (Host): That is absolutely fascinating. How does a patient qualify for bariatric surgery?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: These days, a lot of the qualifications are based on your particular insurance requirements. So everybody's a little bit different, but in general, the requirements are based on your body mass index. That's a number known as your BMI. And so if a patient typically has had a BMI or body mass index over 40, then we typically say, okay, you should think about weight loss surgery. And if they've failed other programs, which is 95% of the time what patients experience, or if their BMI is say over 30 or 35 with something like diabetes or other illnesses, then we also have a discussion about weight loss surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): Let's dispel some common myths about bariatric surgery. Can you help us out with that?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: Absolutely. So there are a lot of myths out there about weight loss surgery, and those stem from, maybe the olden days say a few decades ago when it was a lot more dangerous because of the population that's having the operation. And I think a lack of experience with doing the operation may have created a bit of fear or myths about the danger of it. And over the past 10 to 20 years, our techniques have really evolved and it's really becoming extremely safe operation. Particularly the laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is one of the safest operations I do. And it's one of the safest operations out there for weight loss surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): That actually was my next. How safe is bariatric surgery? And what do you tell patients when they ask that question?
Dr. Kevin Huguet: I think a lot of patients first come in and they're saying, geez, what's my risk of dying? And I say the risk is so low, at least with the sleeve gastrectomy, for example, that it's not even a number we can put on it. It's like, 0.0001%. And so it's such a low number that, that's not even something that generally comes into our discussion. And some of the other factors that they worry about are things like long term complications. And each operation has its own risk profile, but something like the most straightforward and the safest operation, the sleeve gastrectomy, I don't generally see long term complications related to that.
Deborah Howell (Host): And what is the typical weight loss expected after surgery?
Dr Kevin Huguet: The amount of weight that you lose after surgery depends on the weight loss operation that you have for the most part. The sleeve gastrectomy has approximately anywhere, depending on the studies you look at, anywhere between 50 and 60% of your excess weight lost. And then as you go into the more, malabsorptive or more complicated operations, the weight loss that you would expect goes up slightly as well, by five to 10%.
Deborah Howell (Host): That's a pretty significant number. And for the patient what's recovery like after surgery?
Dr Kevin Huguet: The surgery say, for example, the sleeve gastrectomy, which I would say is the safest and most common operation that we do. The surgery takes approximately 30 minutes. Patients can go home sometimes the same day or stay overnight in the hospital. Typically one particular incision will hurt for a few days up to a week. Most patients go back to work about a week out from surgery.
Driving wise, it's usually within about a week or so when they're off of pain medicine and they can safely make quick movements, then they're allowed to drive. They will be on a special, dietary plan, which they get educated about. And we have manuals that we give patients. And that goes on for about a six-week period after surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): All right. Gretchen, you've been so patient, now to you. How do I know if I'm ready for bariatric surgery?
Gretchen Miller: So weight loss surgery can change a person's life, but it requires motivation and commitment. So if you're motivated and committed to make a change, then you're ready for weight loss surgery.
Deborah Howell (Host): Fair enough. Can you tell us a little bit about pre-surgery expectations?
Gretchen Miller: So you're going meet several people during your journey. As a program manager, I help support and guide you during your journey. You also meet our dietitian. Our dietitian will evaluate your individual needs and help set goals for a healthy lifestyle change. You'll be educated on our pre- and post-op diet. After surgery, daily vitamins will be required and our dietitian will be educate you on the different types of vitamins which are best after bariatric surgery. So diet plays an important role in weight loss surgery, but also physical activity.
And you'll also meet with our exercise consultant who plays a very important role. Based on your ability, he'll personalize a fitness program for you that will be specifically designed for you. It's also important to have a psychological evaluation prior to surgery. We all want you to be successful and a psychologist will discuss with you your motivation, your commitment, any behavior issues, or stresses in your life that may not allow you to adhere to that post-surgery lifestyle change.
Deborah Howell (Host): So you're really building a team around this person?
Gretchen Miller: Yes, we have a very dedicated and experienced team that will help you succeed during your weight loss journey.
Deborah Howell (Host): And what kind of post-surgery support does BayCare offer?
Gretchen Miller: So we provide a lot of support after surgery. Research has shown that people who attend support groups after surgery are more successful. So we have monthly support groups which include different topics and speakers. We also have a private Facebook group, then we also provide walking groups. You'll be able to meet other people in those groups who have gone through that surgery and help support you as well.
Deborah Howell (Host): There's such a difference when you know you're not going through something alone, isn’t it?
Gretchen Miller: Yes.
Deborah Howell (Host): Dr. Huguet, do you have anybody in mind who might be a particular success story you can share with us?
Dr Kevin Huguet: Yes, absolutely. One of the best parts of doing this operation is just how gratifying it is in my office when I see patients after surgery. The patients just come in so energized and they're glowing and it's, very, very, very gratifying, it really brightens my day when I see them. There's so many compelling stories of patients that this completely transformed their lives after they have immense weight loss from weight loss surgery. We have one particular patient who has kids and, due to her severe obesity, she was not very ambulatory. And she did this not for herself, but for her kids because she could not simply take them to parks or go to places like Disney World and things like that.
And, believe it or not, a lot of our patients do operations for weight loss surgery for other people so that they can grow up and see their grandchildren and play with their grandchildren or play with their kids or be more active with their kids. And this particular patient, she lost about 110 pounds. And as part of her celebration she took her kids to Disney, was able to go on all the roller coasters and take them around the park that she'd always dreamed to do. So, yeah, there's a lot of compelling stories like that about people that lose a lot of weight.
Deborah Howell (Host): What a game changer for her and her family.
Dr Kevin Huguet: Absolutely.
Deborah Howell (Host): Well, Gretchen and Dr. Huguet, it's been a true pleasure to have you both on with us today. Thanks so much for making the time.
Gretchen Miller: Thank you.
Dr Kevin Huguet: Yes. Thank you. It was wonderful chatting with you. Thanks for having us on.
Deborah Howell (Host): And that wraps up this episode of BayCare HealthChat, head on over to our website at BayCare.org for more information, and to get connected with one of our providers. Always remember to subscribe, rate and review this podcast and all the other BayCare podcasts. So we can share the wealth of information from our experts together. This is Deborah Howell, have yourself a terrific day.